Motorboat Newbie's Change Of Direction

Thanks for the comments, views and tips. I might not be going quite so 'full on' with the upgrade list having time to reflect, but I am going to formally take over and get the keys come next Friday. I will then be in touch with the company who had previously looked after her under her former owner with number of things that I want to have done.

I think they will have a good idea of the time and cost of fitting new electronics, and the main issue I see with this is going to be the routing of wires and having the intruments fitted into the helm especially where I may move some of the engine dials around which will need some work cutting new holes for them into a new insert. Then on to some pretty plain and boring like the hull and superstructe to be cleaned and polished, I also would like them to supply a number of items prudent to have spares such as impellars, belts, filters and the like. I'd be keen to have the fuel tanks inspected to see what there looking like and if needed have the worst of what may lurk in them removed as best as one could given the likley issues with acsess. I will then be using Soltron as I do up in Norfolk which has proved to be really effective at keeping our tank pretty clean with no sign of the dreaded bug.

Once that is being done to the Trader, we can then get on with fitting more dek-king, two solar panels, coutesy lighting, polishing diamond plate for kick plates on steps and measuing up for some more 'Teak Carpet' for B.A. back in Norfolk. Starting my driving lessons back up again too - so just a few things on my plate in the coming weeks. Rough plan depending on comitments and crew - not least also weather - will be to move her to Norfolk late January/February and I can well see that being done over time whereby we get so far and have to wait for the next window for weather then some crew say they have to head home and so on so not going to be all plain sailing I suspect.
 
londonrascal said:
I will then be using Soltron as I do up in Norfolk which has proved to be really effective at keeping our tank pretty clean with no sign of the dreaded bug.
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The fuel treatment debate will commence! Grotamar 82 is becoming more and more of a favourite.

londonrascal said:
...to wait for the next window for weather then some crew...
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Two people can handle a Fleming easily. You should find the same with your Trader.
 
Piers said:
Two people can handle a Fleming easily. You should find the same with your Trader.
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Looking at the OP's Youtube videos, his previous boating experience is largely on the Norfolk Broads on Broads Cruisers with his girlfriend occasionally onboard*. So I think he (rightly) be dependent on some experienced crew.

Another question to the OP. I note you live in London. Have you considered keeping the boat in the Solent instead of Norfolk? If not, I do hope you consider extending your cruising to other parts of the country (and obviously video them).


* When she's turning the Trader 'short bursts' will be key :)
 
Another benefit of super large fuel tanks and D speeds, is the enormous range it gives. Why is this a benefit? We can cruise all season and only refill once a year at our favourite refuelling station - St Sampson's in Guernsey - where it's all duty free with good, clean fuel straight from a tanker. In August, the cost was 43.95/ltr.
 
The fuel treatment debate will commence! Grotamar 82 is becoming more and more of a favourite.

I had not heard of Grotamar 82 - had a Google and looms promising, but then you could say that about any product's own details so I will take that with a pinch of salt. I guess it comes down to personal experience and what works, Soltron has worked for over 10 years since the fitment of a new Stainless Steel fuel tank, which was specified with a sump and drain. Every year we drain the sump and what comes out that is mucky would barely fill a 'baked bean' tin. We also keep the tank brimmed throughout the year which helps too.

Two people can handle a Fleming easily. You should find the same with your Trader.

Two people can handle most things, problem is when it comes to mainly only have one person (me) - then you got to go looking for help, help who also can take a few days off of work and has some experience too.


Looking at the OP's Youtube videos, his previous boating experience is largely on the Norfolk Broads on Broads Cruisers with his girlfriend occasionally onboard*. So I think he (rightly) be dependent on some experienced crew.

This is quite right, but that experience does help none the less. You know what actually bothers me the most - it is not the being at sea part, the 'rules of the road' or all the things that might occur during a passage, it is the coming into and leaving a harbour/port and knowing how to do this along with not coming over on the VHF as if some complete newb stammering along. That said taking a radio down to any busy port and listening in to traffic shows how few actually stick to the proper ways of doing things anyway it seems as long as the message is clearly got over is what matters.

Another question to the OP. I note you live in London. Have you considered keeping the boat in the Solent instead of Norfolk? If not, I do hope you consider extending your cruising to other parts of the country (and obviously video them).

Buying the Trader was the beginning of a new direction for me. I've gone part time at work will be leaving that job soon, once that is done it will be leaving London and the home I've lived in all my life and area, friends, and likely my girlfriend too. Then moving to Norwich and beginning over. It is why I want the Trader up there and not anywhere else. Then I will have the choice between a river cruiser or passage maker and living a relative short distance between where both will be moored will make things a lot easier too.

The only issue I see is that the Trader has high sides all around, so practice at being able lassoo from a height is a definite. For us, we start with a breast rope wherever possible. Simples.

I had wondered about this myself it is not so much the mooring up it is the getting back on - I can see some portable steps being a handy addition to that especially if you are not on a floating pontoon and the tide comes in making matters even trickier to get back on upon your return.

Another benefit of super large fuel tanks and D speeds, is the enormous range it gives....

I will endeavour to always have her tanks brimmed just as with the river boat, whatever you use upon return re-fill - alas it will cost me up there anything from £1.00 to £1.20 a litre.


As an aside to the above, you know what troubles me - there are (I would guess) a few thousand boat owners in the UK. I would also presume a great number of people had to begin without all the knowledge they have gained, be it personal experience and/or courses. But it is a shame there are not more informative videos showing what to do, where you can go wrong and the like and I don't mean a basic 4 minute one that hardly covers much but encourages to you subscribe to next months magazine to learn more. I mean something that covers the real basic's of initial boat ownership, what to do, how to do it, then equipment needed, chart work etc etc right up to the first cruise our of harbour and what to do once actually at sea.

The closest I have found is the video below from Norfolk Yacht Agency's. As you can see, this is a bunch of first timers to sea on a trip out from Yarmouth and in to Lowestoft. They have safety boat and everything, but it all seemed like most simply played 'follow my leader' which is fine but might lull you to think it all a lot easier than it really can be so not sure if these sort of things along could be seen as a way to learn and 'get your teeth' into things. Once moored it was on with the real importance of the day, drinking and chatting - which actually seems to go hand in hand with boats no matter what sort or where you go boating lol.

 
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londonrascal said:
The fuel treatment debate will commence! Grotamar 82 is becoming more and more of a favourite.

I had not heard of Grotamar 82 - had a Google and looms promising, but then you could say that about any product's own details so I will take that with a pinch of salt. I guess it comes down to personal experience and what works, Soltron has worked for over 10 years since the fitment of a new Stainless Steel fuel tank, which was specified with a sump and drain. Every year we drain the sump and what comes out that is mucky would barely fill a 'baked bean' tin. We also keep the tank brimmed throughout the year which helps too.
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The reason I said "The fuel treatment debate will commence! Grotamar 82" is that fuel treatments are a frequent debate on the forum. It only takes a mall mention of 'a product' and the debate begins.

However, you say 10 years. I used to use Soltron but a chemist colleague advised to change product every few years to prevent resistance building up. Hence, I now use Grotomar 82. I must add that after 14 years there is no hint of bug in any of Play d'eau's 4 tanks.

londonrascal said:
Another benefit of super large fuel tanks and D speeds, is the enormous range it gives....
I will endeavour to always have her tanks brimmed just as with the river boat, whatever you use upon return re-fill - alas it will cost me up there anything from £1.00 to £1.20 a litre.
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With a large range you could always visit Guernsey, fill up, and be 'in profit.'
 
With a large range you could always visit Guernsey, fill up, and be 'in profit.'

Haha the thing is you're probably right.

Here is a question: What would people say would be a good boat wash to use? The gel coat is in good condition, a little dull as is to be expected, but there are some of those dreaded 'black streaks' and on the gel and decks is a lot of those lovely deposits from our feathered friends. Not being used to gel coat I am therefore in the dark as to what the best things are, though have read that things like car shampoo or dish soap are bad because of the salts and de-greasers they contain which can strip any wax/polish off of gel coat.
 
Piers said:
The only issue I see is that the Trader has high sides all around, so practice at being able lassoo from a height is a definite. For us, we start with a breast rope wherever possible. Simples.
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Piers, bearing in mind the O/P single hands a lot on the broads, considering the trader has a door next to the helm, if the OP invested in joystick bow and stern thrusters is there any reason he couldn't use the boat single handed (with a bit of experience)? Surely you'd use the thrusters to get next to the pontoon then step outside the door and lassoo (sp?) a cleat?
 
petem said:
Piers, bearing in mind the O/P single hands a lot on the broads, considering the trader has a door next to the helm, if the OP invested in joystick bow and stern thrusters is there any reason he couldn't use the boat single handed (with a bit of experience)? Surely you'd use the thrusters to get next to the pontoon then step outside the door and lassoo (sp?) a cleat?
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Spot on. I know a Trader owner who has remote control thrusters and 'demonstrates' taking the boat off the pontoon, turning it, and re-docking, whilst standing on the pontoon. Impressive to watch but I for one wouldn't be off the boat!
 
petem said:
Piers, bearing in mind the O/P single hands a lot on the broads, considering the trader has a door next to the helm, if the OP invested in joystick bow and stern thrusters is there any reason he couldn't use the boat single handed (with a bit of experience)? Surely you'd use the thrusters to get next to the pontoon then step outside the door and lassoo (sp?) a cleat?
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We have bow and stern thrusters on the 54 (same hull as 535) and bringing her alongside is usually very simple indeed. The thrusters are hydraulic so can be run as long as you like. Next to the helm door is a break in the side rails and we have two ladders we can fit there to facilitate landing or boarding. One of them is very light weight and can be deployed quickly when coming alongside. The other is much heavier duty and is used semi permanently when in harbour.

We find the boat is very easy to handle for two people and I reckon in most conditions I could manage her solo although I haven't proved it.
 
IDAMAY said:
We have bow and stern thrusters on the 54 (same hull as 535) and bringing her alongside is usually very simple indeed. The thrusters are hydraulic so can be run as long as you like. Next to the helm door is a break in the side rails and we have two ladders we can fit there to facilitate landing or boarding. One of them is very light weight and can be deployed quickly when coming alongside. The other is much heavier duty and is used semi permanently when in harbour.

We find the boat is very easy to handle for two people and I reckon in most conditions I could manage her solo although I haven't proved it.
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I'd have loved hydraulic thrusters. So much more efficient than electric. Most envious.
 
Piers said:
I'd have loved hydraulic thrusters. So much more efficient than electric. Most envious.
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Don't be too envious. I tried the thrusters in a couple of Trader 575, one electric and the other hydraulic, and the former was actually stronger.
To get a good power out of the latter, it was necessary to disengage the gear on the Kobelt electronic controls and increase the engine rpm, in order to raise the flow from the PTO hydraulic pump. Not something you want to do while mooring, normally...
Btw, the owner of the one with electric thrusters was on his third Trader, and he told me that he specced electrics specifically for that reason.
 
If you have a door next to the pilot and a cleat nearby, and especially a door in the gunwale, then parking on a pontoon or dock can be done single handed. The crew really is for putting out the fenders and letting you know how much clearance you have on your blind spots. Med berthing definitely needs a crew (preferably one on land also)
 
Bouba said:
If you have a door next to the pilot and a cleat nearby, and especially a door in the gunwale, then parking on a pontoon or dock can be done single handed. The crew really is for putting out the fenders and letting you know how much clearance you have on your blind spots. Med berthing definitely needs a crew
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We've always loathed speaking when docking, so we've used hand signals for years. However, there are blind spots which can have a habit of challenging a chap's sense of humour at times. Hence, this season, we tried a pair of Sena SPH10 headsets from Sabre Leisure (http://sabreleisure.co.uk/) and they are magnificent! Made leaving a berth and mooring up so, so much easier. Never a need to speak loudly let alone shout. Looks so professional....
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
This might be true for a Trader 535, but it isn't a general rule; I single-hand my 40 foot boat in the Med all the time.
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Is that because you are sandwiched between two other boats and one you're in the hole you're not going anywhere? We're blown of our berth and he adjacent berth is empty so would be challenging without crew.
 
petem said:
Is that because you are sandwiched between two other boats and one you're in the hole you're not going anywhere? We're blown of our berth and he adjacent berth is empty so would be challenging without crew.
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Just have a line on your mid cleat property set up under the side rails.

Enter the berth. Stop. Walk up the side and tie up to the mid cleat of the boat next door.

Boat is going nowhere.

Do lines at leisure , remove centre line and have a beer.

Unless it is blowing like you can never imagine this works for pretty much any size of boat as long as there is a boat one side or other.
 
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